Pull Up a Chair and Stay a While

I think it's interesting that if you are pregnant, most HMOs will only charge one copay (that of your first appointment diagnosing your pregnancy) for the duration of your 'symptom'. When that 'symptom' is over back you go to paying for each office visit. So, with my insurance, it only cost me $15.00 to obtain prenatal care and deliver Emerson (via c-section, mind you).

In any other instance, I will required to make a copayment for any doctor visit no matter if I am seen multiple times regarding the same symptoms, diagnoses or treatments. Isn't that interesting? So, while it could be challenging to be ailed by more than one thing at one time, it can actually be a cost savings. Especially if your course of treatment cures you after that one visit. It's convenient too as you will have fewer trips to the ol' Doc.

Case in point: Yesterday, I was diagnosed with a double whammy - Pink eye and strep throat. Nice combo don't you think? I mean you have the nasty breath of an infected throat and the freakish red eye that would be perfect looking if only it were Halloween. Alas, it wasn't and here I was at urgent care at 7pm waiting to be seen.

It had started in the wee hours of Tuesday morning when I woke to my left eye gummed closed by leakage. I got up, pried my eyelids apart and noticing that the whites of my eyes had been replaced with a bright blood red hue. I chalked it up to one too many nights in a row sleeping with my contacts, yanked them out - after much tearing (that's whaah whaah, not rip rip) and struggle I got both out and safely in the trash and got my weary bum back to bed.

I arose at 6:30 a.m. only to find that my eye was no better and still pretty runny. No pain though, it just felt tired and it was just my left eye (hmmm, does TLC want to reunite?). I got ready for work and off I went. Comments were made throughout the morning and a few wonderful folks offered me drops and hand sanitizer. Their motives clearly mixed. The slight lump that was felt in my throat was gathering size as the day progressed and my eye was not looking better.

While attending an offsite event for work late Tuesday afternoon, a colleague of mine (higher on the totem pole than I and really a minor acquaintance) saw me and and asked if I was okay. I told him I was and that I thought I had pink eye and would be seeing my doctor tomorrow. He craned his neck down and closer to me to get a better look. He asked me to take off my glasses and while it seemed strange, he had a familiar way about this and I obliged. As he reached for my face, I made a pronounced shift. "You know I am an eye doctor, don't you?" Relief. "I figured as much considering you have had the greatest interest in my eye of everyone today."

Shortly thereafter, I made my way to my car and was en route home when I continued to be bothered by my throat. At the next stoplight, I took a look in my vanity mirror and sure enough - signs of infection. I detoured from home and made my way to urgent care. After about one and half hours time I had my diagnosis and my prescriptions. God love a ZPak antibiotic.

Now just more than 24 hours later, a day of rest, eye drops every four hours and my meds, I am on the mend. My eye is still red, although fading. I should be able to approach tomorrow with far less scrutiny from others.

Thank goodness the weekend is just a couple of days away.